How Do They Remove Polyps From Your Colon?

Reviewed By: Pramod Kerkar, MD, FFARCSI

The process of removing polyps from the colon or the large intestine is known as colon polypectomy. Polyps are a mass of tissues, which can either be cancerous or non-cancerous. Most of these polyps can be removed for further investigation during sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy.

Reasons for Polyp Removal

The purpose of the above mentioned surgeries is to remove polyps from the colon, this helps in preventing colon cancer. Usually, polyps do not should any symptoms, but in case of huge polyp patient may experience some painful symptoms such as:

In this condition, the patient sense relieve only after polyp is removed from the body.

Complications

Even though the possibility of any complication is very rare, but still it would be incorrect to say that it is risk free because no procedure is completely risk free. Before performing polypectomy, the doctor examines the patient and explains all the possible complications related to the procedure. Some of the complications are:

Inflammation

Colon perforation

Reaction from sedatives

Bowel bleeding

There are some factors that can drastically increase the risk of developing complications, they are as follows:

Expectations Prior to Procedure

Before the procedure doctors examine the patient and inquire about the patients’ health history. They prescribe blood test and review all the medications taken by patients. Doctors also refer the x-ray of colon and accordingly get an idea about how the procedure should be done. Finally before removing polyps from the colon doctors perform colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy for identifying polyp size and location. Colon should be completely empty and clean before the test; any waste in the large intestine can mislead the test results. It is very important that patients should religiously follow the instructions about the below mentioned cleaning techniques.

Laxatives is a type of drug that helps in initiating bowel movement in the body it also helps in losing stool.

Follow a strict fluid or liquid diet.

Enemas is also a very effective way for cleaning the rectum area for stimulating bowel movement.

Oral medications are also available that helps in activating the bowel movement.

Just before starting the procedure anesthesia or sedative is given to patients, this helps in relaxing body and also reduces the discomfort experienced by the patient during the procedure.

How Do They Remove Polyps From Your Colon?

For the procedure patient is given a loose gown to wear and then asked to lie down on the table in a way that the colon is clearly visible. A scope, which is a flexible tube with a camera on the tip, is then inserted in the body through the anus. The tool then slowly moved around the large intestine and rectum area. Scoop also helps in blowing air inside the colon, so that it widen up for clear observation. Using this scoop doctors location the polyp and then snip it off. This sniping can cause bleeding, which is stopped with the help of electric current. In some rare cases where use of scope is not safe, there doctors make use of electric current for destroying the polyps. Some doctors also make use of surgical approach i.e. they make use of surgical equipment’s for making small incision in the patient’s body and then remove the polyps using a tong or scissor. The selection of procedure depends on the health condition of the patient. On an average the procedure lasts for around 45 minutes to an hour.

Side Effects

The use of Laxatives or enema can cause some discomfort to the patient and after the procedure patient may experience abnormal bowel movement along with abdominal cramps, but this is very temporary and will disappear without any medication. However, if the problem lasts for a longer duration then it is very important the one should immediately visit a doctor for help.